Inner case of refrigerator and method for manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

Provided is an inner case of a refrigerator and a method for manufacturing the same that allow a welded portion to have a plane-contact to improve welding performance. Also, provided are an inner case of a refrigerator and a method for manufacturing the same that allow the inner case to be neatly cleaned.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates to an inner case of a refrigerator.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a refrigerator is an appliance for storing food at low temperature. The refrigerator maintains a storage space at low temperature through a coolant cycle. Also, a kimchi storage room for storing kimchi can be provided even to a general refrigerator. The kimchi storage room can store fruits, flesh, and vegetables.

The storage room of the kimchi storage room is formed by an inner case. The inside of the inner case is heated or cooled to ripen and store kimchi at low temperature. The inner case is manufactured by processing an aluminum sheet having excellent heat transfer performance.

A process for manufacturing the inner case is described. The both ends formed to face each other by bending an aluminum sheet is welded to form a body having an open lower end. A base, which is an aluminum sheet, is placed to correspond to the lower end of the body. The lower end of the body and the edge of the base are welded to manufacture the inner case.

However, since the lower end of the body and the edge of the base are welded with them placed to line-contact each other in the inner case, the surface of the welded portion of the inner case is not smooth and is not cleaned neatly, so that an appearance of the inner case is not elegant.

Also, the lower edge of the inner case has been drawing-processed so that the lower edge is rounded after the body and the base are bonded in a related art. Since tensile strength of the bonded portion between the body and the base is remarkably different from that of aluminum, crack or measure deformation has been generated to the welded portion during the drawing processing. Particularly, since an aluminum material has high ductility, crack generation and measure deformation have been serious during a drawing processing. Also, the inner case has been deformed or have had a scar during manufacturing and assembling processes of the inner case, which has resulted in a high defect rate.

Also, a thinner aluminum sheet can be used to prevent deformation during the manufacturing and assembling processes of the inner case. However, in this case, the weight and manufacturing costs of the inner case increase.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an inner case of a refrigerator that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide an inner case of a refrigerator and a method for manufacturing the same that allow a welded portion to be neatly cleaned and provide an elegant appearance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inner case of a refrigerator and a method for manufacturing the same that can prevent crack or measure deformation from being generated to a welded portion.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an inner case of a refrigerator and a method for manufacturing the same that can minimize deformation or defect generation during manufacturing and assembling processes.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided, there is provided an inner case of a refrigerator, the inner case including: a body processed to correspond to lateral sides of a storage room; a base corresponding to a lower end of the body and having a periphery of a predetermined height; and a bonding portion formed by processing at lease one of the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base and allowing the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base to be bonded to each other while they plane-contact each other.

The bonding portion may include a first bonding portion bent outward from the lower end of the body; and a second bonding portion bent at the periphery of the base to plane-contact the first bonding portion.

The bonding portion is formed by processing at least one of the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base such that the at least one has a height difference.

The bonding portion is formed by processing at least one of the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base such that the at least one has a height difference by thicknesses of the body and the base.

The body and base are formed of a plated steel sheet.

The first and second bonding portions are bonded to each other through one of welding and caulking.

The body may be manufactured by drawing-processing a plated steel sheet such that both ends of the plated steel sheet contact each other and bonding the both ends contacting each other through one of welding and caulking.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an inner case of a refrigerator, the method including: drawing-processing a plated steel sheet such that both ends of the plated steel sheet contact each other to form lateral sides of a storage room; bonding the contacting both sides of the plated steel sheet; bending at least one of a lower end of a body and a periphery of a base to form a bonding portion such that the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base plane-contact each other; and bonding the bonding portion.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a kimchi refrigerator according to the present invention;

FIGS. 2 is 3 are perspective views illustrating a method for manufacturing the inner case of FIG. 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating a method for manufacturing the inner case of FIG. 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art.

An inner case according to the present invention can be applied to a storage room of a kimchi refrigerator for storing kimchi at low temperature, and a kimchi storage room of a general refrigerator. Description will be made using a kimchi refrigerator.

Referring to FIG. 1, a main machine 1 of a kimchi refrigerator includes an outer case 10 constituting an appearance, and an inner case 100 received in the outer case 10. An adiabatic material 12 is disposed between the outer case 10 and the inner case 100. Also, a door 30 is disposed on the upper side of the main machine 1 to open/close the upper side of the main machine 1.

A storage room is formed inside the inner case 100 to receive storage containers 20, which can be stacked in the storage room.

A heater and a heat exchanger for ripening and storing kimchi at low temperature can be disposed on an outer side of the inner case 100. Substantially, the heat exchanger has such a shape as to wind around the periphery of the inner case 100 a plurality of number of times. Illustration of the heater and the heat exchanger are omitted.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner case 100 includes a body 110 constituting a lateral side of the storage room, and a base 120 constituting the lower side of the storage room.

The body 110 and the base 120 are manufactured in a plated steel sheet. Examples of a material that can be used as the plated steel sheet include a zinc-plated steel sheet or an aluminum-plated steel sheet having excellent corrosion-resistance and thermal conductivity. The plated steel sheet can be formed by plating the surface of a cold rolled steel sheet or a hot rolled steel sheet with zinc or aluminum using electrolysis. Since the plated steel sheet has a smooth surface, it has excellent painting finishing and corrosion resistance. The plated steel sheet has more excellent painting finishing and corrosion resistance while it maintains strength and thermal conductivity thereof. Also, since the plated steel sheet has excellent rigidity, deformation and damage of the inner case 100 is minimized during the processes for manufacturing and assembling the inner case 100. Also, the inner case 100 does not need to have thick thickness in order to reinforce the rigidity of the inner case 100.

The body 110 is formed by cutting the plated steel sheet in a predetermined measure and bending the cut plated steel sheet by a plurality of number of times. The body 110 has a quadrangular box shape having open upper and lower ends. At this point, both ends of the plated steel sheet contact each other. Also, the edges of the body 110 can be processed to be rounded to improve an appearance and cleanness.

The body 110 is provided at its upper end with a flange 111 to be easily seated inside the outer case 10. The flange 111 can be formed by cutting portions corresponding to the edges of the body 110 and bending the cut portions to the outer side of the body 110.

The contacting both ends of the body 110 are bonded to each other using a welding operation. At this point, examples of the welding operation include plasma arc welding and caulking.

The base 120 is disposed under the body 110. The base 120 constitutes the lower side of the inner case 100. Like the body 110, the base 120 can be formed of the plated steel sheet. The base 120 is formed by cutting the plated steel sheet in a measure greater than the open lower end of the body 110, and drawing-processing the cut plated steel sheet. At this point, the base 120 includes a periphery bent upward by the drawing-processing. Also, the edges of the base 120 can be rounded to improve cleanness.

A bonding portion 130 is formed at at least one of the lower end of the body 110 and the periphery of the base 120. The bonding portion 130 allows the lower end of the body 110 to plane-contact the periphery of the base 120. An example of a plane-contact structure provided by the bonding portion 130 is described.

A first bonding portion 131 bent outward is formed at the lower end of the body 110. At this point, the first bonding portion 131 can be formed before or after the body 110 is cut in a quadrangular box shape. Also, the bonding portion 130 can be formed using a drawing processing after a contacting portion of the body 110 is bonded.

A second bonding portion 132 is formed at the periphery of the base 120 to plane-contact the first bonding portion 131. The second bonding portion 132 can be bent in the same size as the width of the first bonding portion 131. Also, the second bonding portion 132 can be formed when or after the periphery of the base 120 is drawing-processed.

The first and second bonding portions 131 and 132 can be approximately bent outward perpendicularly from the outer surface of the body 110. Also, the first and second bonding portions 131 and 132 can be bent obliquely from the outer surface of the body 110.

The contact surface between the first and second bonding portions 131 and 132 can be bonded using plasma arc welding or caulking.

The upper end of the base 120 and the lower end of the body 110 are the same in their size and shape. Therefore, since the bonding portion does not have a height difference or an uneven portion when seen from the inner side of the inner case 100, the bonding portion is formed smooth.

A process and method for manufacturing an inner case having the above-described construction will be described below.

First, a plated steel sheet to be used for manufacturing the body 110 is cut in accordance with a design measure. The cut plated steel sheet is bent, and both ends facing and contacting each other are welded. Therefore, the body 110 is formed in a rectangular shape having open upper and lower ends.

Four portions corresponding to the edges of the body 110 are cut at the upper end of the body 110. Also, the upper end of the body 110 is perpendicularly bent outward to form the flange 111.

The lower end of the body 110 is drawing-processed. At this point, as the lower end of the body 110 is perpendicularly bent outward along the periphery of the body 110, the first bonding portion 131 is formed.

The plated steel sheet to be used for manufacturing the base 120 is cut according to a design measure. At this point, the plated steel sheet is cut in a measure greater than that of the lower end of the body 110. The plated steel sheet is formed to be a periphery through a drawing processing. At this point, the lower end of the periphery can be formed to be rounded. The second bonding portion 132 perpendicularly bent toward the outside is formed at the periphery of the base 120 through the drawing processing.

The first and second bonding portions 131 and 132 plane-contact each other. The first and second bonding portions 131 and 132 are bonded together using plasma arc welding or caulking. At this point, since the body 110 and the base 120 are formed of the plated steel sheet, a plated portion may be oxidized during a welding operation, so that the welding operation may not be performed normally. However, since the first and second bonding portions 131 and 132 are put to plane-contact each other to secure a wide welding area, the welding operation can be efficiently performed. Also, since the welding area is wide even though portions of the first and second bonding portions 131 and 132 are not normally welded, the first and second bonding portions 131 and 132 have sufficient bonding force. Also, since the first and second bonding portions 131 and 132 not only plane-contact each other but also protrude to the outside, they can be bonded together using caulking instead of welding.

The above-manufactured inner case 100 can be mounted in the main machine 1 after a painting operation and a surface treatment are performed.

Next, an inner case according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the inner case 200 includes a body 210 and a base 220.

The body 210 is provided at its upper end with a flange 211. Since the flange 211 is formed as described above, description thereof will be omitted. Also, the body 210 is manufactured using the above-described plated steel sheet.

The base 220 has a periphery formed by drawing-processing a cut plated steel sheet. The lower corers of the periphery can be formed to be rounded. As the lower corners of the periphery are rounded, a cleaning operation can be efficiently performed.

The base 220 is provided at the periphery with a bonding portion 230 having a height difference as the drawing processing is performed. The bonding portion 230 can have a height difference toward the outside, but can also have a height difference toward the inside. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the bonding portion 230 has a height difference toward the outside.

At this point, the bonding portion 230 can be formed to have a height difference by the thickness t of the lower end of the body 210. Therefore, when the lower end of the base 220 is coupled on the inner surface of the bonding portion 230, the inner surface of the inner case 200 can be made smooth. Here, that the bonding portion 230 is formed to have the height difference by the thickness t means that the thickness t includes an interval between the bonding portion 230 and the lower portion of the body 210, and the thickness of the lower end of the body 210.

Since the bonding portion 230 extends toward the outside, the inner surface of the inner case 200 is made smooth when the lower end of the body 210 is bonded on the bonding portion 230 of the base 220.

Also, the bonding portion 230 having the height difference toward the outside can be formed on the lower end of the body 210, and the bonding portion 230 may not be formed on the periphery of the base 220. In this case, the periphery of the base 230 can be fit in the bonding portion 230 of the body 210 to plane-contact the bonding portion 230.

The bonding portion 230 can be bonded using plasma arc welding or caulking. The above-manufactured inner case 200 is received inside the main machine 1 after a painting operation or a surface process is performed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. An inner case of a refrigerator, the inner case comprising: a body processed to correspond to lateral sides of a storage room; a base corresponding to a lower end of the body and having a periphery of a predetermined height; and a bonding portion formed by processing at lease one of the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base and allowing the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base to be bonded to each other while they plane-contact each other.
 2. The inner case according to claim 1, wherein the bonding portion comprises: a first bonding portion bent outward from the lower end of the body; and a second bonding portion bent at the periphery of the base to plane-contact the first bonding portion.
 3. The inner case according to claim 1, wherein the bonding portion is formed by processing at least one of the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base such that the at least one has a height difference.
 4. The inner case according to claim 1, wherein the bonding portion is formed by processing at least one of the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base such that the at least one has a height difference by thicknesses of the body and the base.
 5. The inner case according to claim 1, wherein the body and base are formed of a plated steel sheet.
 6. The inner case according to claim 1, wherein the first and second bonding portions are bonded to each other through one of welding and caulking.
 7. The inner case according to claim 1, wherein the body is manufactured by drawing-processing a plated steel sheet such that both ends of the plated steel sheet contact each other and bonding the both ends contacting each other through one of welding and caulking.
 8. A method for manufacturing an inner case of a refrigerator, the method comprising: drawing-processing a plated steel sheet such that both ends of the plated steel sheet contact each other to form lateral sides of a storage room; bonding the contacting both sides of the plated steel sheet; bending at least one of a lower end of a body and a periphery of a base to form a bonding portion such that the lower end of the body and the periphery of the base plane-contact each other; and bonding the bonding portion. 